This invention pertains to animated characters utilizing an improved face unit mechanism and control system which synchronizes facial movements with sounds produced by the character. It pertains particularly to a face unit mechanism and integrated control system for moving eyes and mouth of the animated character in synchronism with singing or speaking sounds emitted by a speaker in the character body.
Various animated characters having movable arm and mouth parts have been developed and are disclosed by prior art patents. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,230,665 to Ryan discloses an animated doll toy having movable eyes and lips actuated by elongated rods from a geared drive motor and having sounds produced by a phonograph unit. U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,618 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,254 to Ryan et al also disclose similar animated talking doll. U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,640 to Forsse et al discloses an electromechanical controller for an animated character having facial movements and sounds produced in synchronism with control signals. U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,352 to Curran et al discloses an animated talking doll having movable eye and mouth parts controlled by geared electric motors through flexible driven links controlled by signals from a replaceable tape cartridge. U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,328 to Mirahem discloses a talking doll utilizing an electro mechanical drive mechanism and having lip movements responsive to an audio drive signal with an on-off characteristic based on thresholding the audio signal. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,142 to Berliner discloses an actuated doll having lips mechanically movable to simulate speech and including a speech synthesizing system. However, it has been found that these prior art animated characters having face mechanisms and control system circuits for animated characters all have various undesired deficiencies, so that some improvements have been sought.